Galvanic battery



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

C. SEILER.

GALVANIO BATTERY.

No. 366,034. Patented Jul 5, 1887.

II I ll N. PETERS, Phuto-umn n mr. wmhin mn. D. C

UNITED STATES PATENT ()EEIcE.

CARL SEILER, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

GALVANIC BATTERY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 366,034, dated July 5,1837.

Application filed November I9, 1886. Serial No. 219,376. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CARL SEILER, a citizen of the United States,residing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented certainImprovements in Electrical Batteries, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to certain improvements in the construction ofelectrical batteri es, and has more particular reference to batteries ofthat class in which the electrodes can be but, if desired, for bothquantity and intensity combined, and in any desired number within thecapa city of the battery.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of my improvedbattery. Fig. 2 is an end view of the same. Fig. 3 is a verticalsection. Fig. 4 is a sectional plan on the line 1 2, Fig. 3. Figs. 5 and6 are perspective views illustrating the manner of securing theelectrodes to the'carrying-plate, and Fig. 7 is a diagram illustratingthe contacts of the commutator and cell-selector.

In the drawings, I have illustrated the battery A as having ten cellsand a corresponding number of pairs of electrodes, A; but the number ofelements may be varied, of course. The cells A are mounted on a movableplatform, a, guided by vertical standards or rods B on the base D. Thesevertical guide-standards B are connected at the top by suitablecross-bars, b, The electrodes are carried by a movable plat-' form, E,which is similarly guided on the ver tical rods or standards-B; and forconvenience I prefer to provide both the platform a and platform E withanti-friction rollers d, bearing against the guide-standards B, tofacilitate the movements of the cells and electrodes. The

two platforms a and E are connected on opposite sides by levers E, whichconstitute a lazytongs movement, and which are pivoted at the center tofixed standards G on the base plate D, so that when the platform E, withits electrodes, is raised the cells will be depressed, and when theelectrodes aredepressed, the cells will be raised. By this means theextent of movement needed to immerse or withdraw the electrodes is butslight, and the two moving parts nearly counterbal an ce each other, thecells for the liquid being of course a little heavier than the platformwith its electrodes, in order that the latter may be normally out of theliquid.

To operate the moving parts of the battery, I- provide a lever orlevers, H, pivoted to brackets or lugs h on the .base, and having apinand-slot connection with one or other of the platforms a E or withthe levers constituting the lazy'tongs movement. This operating-levermay be put centrally under the platform; but I prefer to construct it inthe form of a yoke, so that it will act on opposite sides of thebattery, the cross-bar of the yokeforming a treadle to be operated bythe foot of the operator.

In order that when necessary the electrodes may be maintained at anydesired degree of immersion, I provide means for securing the lever H inthe proper position. For this purpose I have shown, as an example, anumber of openings in one of the standards G and an opening in the leveror levers H, with a retaining-pin, p. g

In order to protect the connection of the conductors with the electrodesfrom the actions of the liquids or fumes from the cells, the upper endsof the electrodes are passed through corresponding openings in thebottom plate of the platform, (which I prefer to make in the form of acovered boX,) and are secured by screws or other means toL- shapedbrackets e, to which the conductors are connected. By

thus passing the upper ends of the electrodes through-theplatform-bottom and connecting the conductors to them above, thoseconnections cannot be injured by theliquids or fumes from the cells. Theinclosure of these parts in the box further protects them.

I provide my battery with a combined commutator and cell-selector, whichnot only provides for connecting up the cells for either quantity orintensity, but also provides for the selection of any desired number ofcells, and also for their connection for quantity and intensitycombined. This commutator and cellselector I prefer to makein the formof a eylinder, J, of suitable non-conducting .material, havingcontact-points ion its periphery. These contact-points I prefer to makeof stamped out sheet metal of the necessary form, simply inserted in theradial slots in the wooden or other non-conducting cylinder. Inconncction with this commutator and cell-selector are springcontact-fingers 7.:, equal in number to the electrodes of thebatterytwenty in the present instance. A conductor from each elec trodeconnects with one of thesespring contact-fingers. The projectingsheet-metal contact-points i on the cylinder acting against the sp1 'ingfingers 7; form scraping-contaets,which are thereby kept clean. Thearrangement of the contact pins of this combined commutator andcell-selector will be understood on reference to the diagran1,Fig.7,iuwhich the contact-points i are represented by circles in twenty-threelines. hen the commutator and cell-selecting cylinder is turned to theposition with the first line opposite the ends of the contact-fingers7;, the pin in that first line will make contact between the zinc andcarbon of the first and second pair, and assuming that the lines mrepresent conductors, the circuit will be from the carbon of the firstpair through the conductor m and out at 10. This will put one cell incircuit. \Vhen the cylinder is turned to the second line, two cellswill, be connected up for intensity, and so on as the cylinder isturned,until the ten cells are connected up for intensity at line 10.lVhen eight for intensity.

turned, the number of cells connected for intensity will decrease, whilethose connected for quantity will increase until line 19 is reached,when all the cells will be connected up for quantity. As the cylinder isfurther turned, the number of cells connected up for quantity willdecrease until line 1 is reached again.

To facilitate the turning of the commutator and cell selector cylinder,I may provide at one end thereof a ratchetwheel and a handled pawl, P.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination of the base and guidestandards with platforms carrying the cells and electrodes, guided onsaid standards,la7.ytongs movement connecting the two platforms, andstandards to which the lazy-tongs levers are pivoted.

2. The combination of the electrodes of an electrical battery wit-h acarrying-platform, through the bottom of which the upper ends of theelectrodes pass, and brackets to which the said electrodes are secured,substantially as specified.

3. An electrical battery having electrodes and contactsconnectedtherewith, in combina tion with a combined commutator andcell-selcctor, having contacts, such as 1 to 10, for connecting thecells in intensity in varying number, contacts such as 11 to 18, forcoir necting them in intensity and quantity combined in varying number,and contacts, such as 15) to 23, for connecting the cells in quantity,also in varying number, all substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

CARL SEILER.

\Vitnesses:

\VILLIAM D. CONNER, H ENRY HowsoN.

